GSM Interfaces

(Um)

Air interface
A bis interface
A Interface
B Interface
C interface

MS to BTS
BTS to BSC
BSC to MSC
MSC to VLR
MSC to HLR

GSM Interfaces
D

Interface
E Interface
F Interface
G Interface
H Interface

VLR to HLR
MSC to MSC
MSC to EIR
VLR to VLR
HLR to AUC

AUC
To other
Networks
GMSC

D Interface

H Interface
HLR
C Interface
MSC
A Interface

VLR

EIR

B Interface
F Interface

BSC
A bis Interface
Air Interface
MS

GSM Interfaces
The

interfaces between MSC and MS is

called A, Abis and Um interfaces.
On these interfaces only three layers are
defined.They are not corresponding to the
OSI (Open System Interconnection) model.

A Interface
A interface

between the BSC and the MSC

The A interface provides two distinct types of
information, signalling and traffic, between the
MSC and the BSC.
The speech is transcoded in the TRC and the
SS7 (Signalling system) signalling is
transparently connected through the TRC or
on a separate link to the BSC.

Abis Interface

The A-bis interface responsible for transmitting traffic

and signalling information between the BSC and the
BTS.
The transmission protocol used for sending signalling
information on the A-bis interface is Link Access
Protocol on the D Channel (LAPD)

(Um) Air Interface

This is the interface between the mobile station and the

Base station.
The Air interface uses the Time Division Multiple Access
(TDMA) technique to transmit and receive traffic and
signalling information between the BTS and MS.
The TDMA technique is used to divide each carrier into
eight time slots.These time slots are then assigned to
specific users,allowing up to eight conversations to be
handled Simultaneously by the same carrier.

Up Link

2 3

0 Down Link
4

Time Slot
This interface is the radio interface between the
mobile station and the network and uses layer
Three messages.
On Layer three messages we have the division
of message types into CM (communication
Management), MM (Mobility Management), and
RR (Radio Resource Management).

Connection Management
(CM)

There are three entities within CM:

Call Control(CC) Which handles the procedures
concerning call control. e.g. setup,Change of bearer
service.
Supplementary Service (SS) Which handles such as
call bearing, call waiting , call forwarding etc.
Short Message Service (SMS) Enables the MS to
handle short message transfer to and from the network.

Mobility Management (MM)

Mobility management handles functions for

authentication, location updating, identification and
others concerning the mobility of the mobile station.

Radio Resource Management

(RR)

It contains the functions concerning the radio link.

Here we find the capability to establish,maintain and
release the radio connection between the network
and the mobile station, which includes the handover
procedure.

B Interface

The B interface between the MSC and the VLR uses

the MAP/TCAP protocol.
Most MSCs are associated with a VLR, making the B
interface "internal".
Whenever the MSC needs access to data regarding a
MS located in its area, it interrogates the VLR using
the MAP/B protocol over the B interface.

C Interface

The C interface is between the HLR and a MSC.

Each call originating outside of GSM (i.e., a MS
terminating call from the PSTN) has to go through a
Gateway to obtain the routing information required to
complete the call, and the MAP/TCAP protocol over
the C interface is used for this purpose.
Also, the MSC may optionally forward billing
information to the HLR after call clearing.

D Interface

The D interface is between the VLR and HLR.

It uses the MAP/TCAP protocol to exchange the data
related to the location of the MS and to the
management of the subscriber.

E Interface

The E interface interconnects two MSCs.

The E interface exchanges data related to handover
between the anchor and relay MSCs using the
-MAP/TCAP+ISUP/TUP protocol.

F Interface

The F interface connects the MSC to the EIR.

It uses the MAP/TCAP protocol to verify the status of
the IMEI that the MSC has retrieved from the MS.

G Interface

The G interface interconnects two VLRs of different

MSCs.
It uses the MAP/G protocol to transfer subscriber
information, during e.g. a location update procedure.